Kozhi Peralan / Chicken Peralan

Kozhi Peralan / Chicken Peralan

A Syrian Christian style  thick Chicken curry, goes well with rice / pulao / appam / idiyappam … Basic recipe from  ‘’ The Suriani Kitchen''  by Lathika George !!

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients

For the chicken:

600 g chicken pieces (net weight after cleaning), cut into medium size

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon salt

Wash and clean chicken pieces. Drain out water thoroughly. In a bowl, marinate chicken pieces evenly with turmeric powder and salt. Cover and keep aside for half an hour.

For the spice paste (masala):

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon pepper powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon aniseed powder (perumjeeraka podi)

½ teaspoon cumin powder or ½ teaspoon cumin powder (jeeraka podi)

¼ teaspoon clove powder or 3 cloves

¼ teaspoon cardamom powder or 3 cardamom

¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder or 1 small cinnamon stick

Method

Heat an iron kadai  or a dry skillet, on a medium heat. Gently dry roast  all the spice ingredients until fragrant and make a smooth paste in a small mixer bowl with 2 tablespoon water. Keep aside.

 Ingredients  for  the gravy:

12 – 14 shallots (chuvannulli / small onion), chopped

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

8 cloves garlic, chopped

½ teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

2 cups / 400 ml water

Method

In a wide bowl, boil marinated chicken pieces with spice paste, shallots (ulli), garlic, ginger, vinegar, salt to taste (first add 3/4 teaspoon and check the taste) and water (up to the level of chicken pieces), Cover with a lid and boil on a medium to low heat for 15 – 20 minutes until the water (stock) has reduced to about 1 ½ cups. Remove cooked chicken pieces from the pan and reserve the gravy (stock).

Final seasoning:

Ingredients

2 tablespoon coconut oil or sunflower oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 big onion, thinly sliced

6 – 10 curry leaves

Method

Heat oil in a wide pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add sliced onion and fry until golden color. Add curry leaves and fry again for 5 minutes on a medium heat.

Now add chicken pieces without gravy and fry for 8 minutes until onions well combined with chicken and meat is lightly browned.

Add the reserved gravy, adjust salt to taste and cook again a on a low heat for another 10 minutes until the gravy is thick / well combined with chicken / fragrant. Consume after half an hour. Then it will absorb all the flovors. Serve with rice / pulao / chapatti / appam / idiyappam / whole wheat bread …